In Focus: PSV in Ruud health after Van Nistelrooy appointment

Ruud van Nistelrooy has waited patiently for his first senior coaching role — in fact, he initially turned the PSV job down when he was offered it.

The Manchester United legend will take over as manager of the Dutch giants next season, succeeding Roger Schmidt.

Ahead of their Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg at Leicester, we look at what the Premier League icon will bring to the role.

The story so far

Unlike some former professionals, Van Nistelrooy did not walk straight into a top job and will begin life as PSV boss a decade after retiring from playing.

The 45-year-old has worked his way up by coaching PSV’s youth teams, as well as serving as assistant to Ronald Koeman and Guus Hiddink with the Dutch national side.

He started at the bottom, working as an intern with the Under-17s before becoming a striker coach.

Van Nistelrooy later assisted Hiddink at the 2014 World Cup — where the Netherlands lost to Argentina in the semi-finals — before succeeding former Dutch international Mark van Bommel as U-19s coach.

After three years in that role, this season he was promoted to head coach of Jong PSV — the club’s second team.

He initially wanted to spend another year learning his trade in the second tier but director of football Marcel Brands changed his mind.

Van Nistelrooy revealed: “He [Brands] said that as far as he was concerned, I was ready to start with the first team.

“He held up my CV, summed up what I have done and asked ‘what else can you do that will get you closer to the first team?'”

A special bond

Discussing his appointment, Van Nistelrooy spoke about the challenge that awaits him.

He said: “I am proud and convinced that I am ready to take a leading role at my club.

“Talks with the entire management and the board have strengthened my view on the unity and ambition to achieve something special with PSV in the long term.”

Van Nistelrooy’s pre-existing bond with PSV will serve him well.

But he has also been praised for his one-on-one coaching by starlet Cody Gakpo, who he worked with at youth level.

Gakpo said: “I have learned a lot from him and I look up to him. He’s spoken to me about how to finish in certain situations and it helped me a lot.

“He told me some tricks on shooting and keeping my options open. Shoot low and hard, not beautiful and high.”

Coaching style

So what can PSV’s other senior players expect from the club legend-turned-boss?

A hands-on coach who regularly led sessions while working under Hiddink, Van Nistelrooy’s man-management skills are also a strength.

It was he who resolved a clash between Dutch internationals Robin van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar while on international duty after stepping in to play peacemaker.

He said: “I sometimes hear that they will never be real friends. Well, make no mistake, they really got along since that conversation.

“It was important for Guus that I would have a lot of contact with the players I had played with, but also with the next generation.”

Tactically, his Jong PSV side have played a 4-3-3 system — the same as the first team.

Though they are only on course for a mid-table finish, they look set to improve on last season’s 14th place.

Youth development

With an average age of 25.1, PSV’s squad is towards the upper end of the scale among Eredivisie clubs.

While that is not alarmingly old, part of Van Nistelrooy’s remit will be to continue bringing through homegrown players.

Winger Johan Bakayoko, 18, could be one of the beneficiaries. After scoring just once last term he has netted 13 under the legendary striker this time around and looks ready to make the step up to first-team football.

Exciting times ahead?

If PSV are able to keep hold of Gakpo this summer, Van Nistelrooy will have one of the brightest young stars in the league at his disposal.

The academy graduate is the Eredivisie’s top performer this term when it comes to goals and assists combined per 90 minutes, averaging 1.25.

But even if PSV receive an offer they cannot refuse for the 22-year-old Netherlands international, Van Nistelrooy still has England U-21s winger Noni Madueke and German World Cup winner Mario Gotze in his ranks.